Child&#39;s reading desk



May 24, 1955 D. M. SIMPsoN 2,708,808

l CHILD S READING DESK Filed June 23,' 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 ,JA v 53" l l w /56 l l /35 ss l 4 '/54 L- 3 INVENToR.

)2 v okor/fr/Z /msom )A CHILDS READING DESK Dorothy M. Simpson, Lafayette, Ind. Applicationv June 23, 1951, Serial No. 233,186

1 Claim. (Cl. 45-61) This invention relates to a childs reading desk.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a desk of such character and construction that it will readily support a text book or other reading matter in any selected height or angle of inclination position desired by the reader. While the invention is of particular value to crippled children, it may of course be used to great advantage by any and all children. It permits a free use of the hands of the child for drawing or writing purposes while the book or reading material is supported and held in place by means forming a part of the invention. In

the event the arms or hands of the child are crippled to such an extent that it is impossible or inconvenient to hold the book at the proper eye level or distance, then the invention can be used for that purpose.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a desk having a tiltable top which may be selectively swung arcuately to any angular position relative to the horizontal base of the desk, and having also a text book or the like supporting member operably associated with said top for height adjustment of said text book or the like. In short, the tiltable top serves to dispose the book at the desired reading angle with respect to the child sitting at the desk, while the cross member serves to support the book at the desired height with respect to the child.

lt is a still further object of this invention to provide a reading desk for children which may be folded into a compact unit and which will, therefore, occupy a rninimum amount of storage and transportation space when not in use. As is well known, many of the reading desks currently in use today are of a fixed size and are not capable of being folded or otherwise reduced in size when not in use. This has been recognized to be a disadvantage, particularly in those situations Where it is desirable at times to remove desks from a room or to one side of a room so that it may be used for indoor games or the like.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a reading desk for children which is of portable character and construction and may be moved readily and with ease from one point to another.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention in its folded, compact condition.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view thereof with the desk top and book support members shown in one selected angular position.

ln the drawings the tiltable desk top is shown at 10, it preferably having a cork or the like board 11 aixed to its under surface to serve as a cushion to prevent abrasive action between the desk top and base 12 when in abutting relation as shown in Figs. l and 2. The top is hinged at 13 to the front edge of the base. The links 14 and 15 which cooperate with the hinge are pivotally connected United States Patent O Cil Zfh Patented Mey 2li, 1955 ice to each other at 16. The free ends of each of the links are pivoted at 17 and 18 respectively to the side edges of the desk top and base adjacent their hinge connection. These links are so constructed and arranged that the desk top will remain in any adjusted angular position even though there is some weight thereon in the form of a text book, reading matter or the like. lt is, of course, an easy matter to overcome the frictional resistance of the links by application of hand pressure or the like, and to lower or raise the desk top to any other adjusted position where it once again will remain unless the weight of the object placed thereon is greater than the frictional resistance of the links.

Extending from the front to the rear of the top, and spaced inwardly a short distance of the side edges thereof are the two parallel metal strips 19 which preferably are inlaid in the top so that a small portion thereof only projects above its surface. A book or the like rest or support member is shown at 20, it having a length preferably but not necessarily coextensive with the distance from one side edge of the desk top to the other. As shown in Fig. 2 the support member is in the form of an upright having a width two or three times greater than its depth. Aligned recesses 2l are formed in the bottom of said support member for the reception and accommodation therein of permanent magnets 22. These magnets are of a size such that a portion of them projects a slight distance beyond the bottom surface of the book support member. As is apparent from Fig. l, the magnets are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance separating the inlaid metal strips so that each magnet will be operably associated with a corresponding metal strip when the book support is placed upon the `desk top.

By reason of the above described construction and arrangement, it is apparent that the desk top may be tilted in an arcuate path to any selected angular position relative to the horizontal. This angle of inclination will correspond to the desired angle of inclination of the book or reading matter which will be placed upon the desk top. The book support member may also be adjusted to any desired height such as for example the eye level of the reader.

A drawer 23 is provided for reception of books, pencils, pads and other schoolroom equipment, it being slidable to and fro within the ways 24 secured to the under portion of the desk base 12. The front end wall 25 of the drawer depends below the plane of the bottom of the drawer as shown particularly in Fig. 3, so that it may easily be grasped by the fingers or the hand and pulled out or pushed in.

Four extensible legs 26 are provided for the support of the desk. These legs are connected by the brackets 27 to the skirts 28 which are formed integral with and depend from the peripheral edges of the base. A brace 29 is pivotally secured at 30 to the skirt'adjacent each of the four corners of the base. A guide 31 having an aperture formed therethrough for accommodation of said brace is secured to each leg. Latch means (of conventional style and, therefore, not shown) retain the legs in their upright supporting position. Each leg may thus independently be folded from its extended supporting position to an out-ofthe-way non-use position.

In order to make possible a lengthening and shortening of the legs and attendant height adjustment of the desk itself there is provided a tongue, groove and slot means, the tongue being indicated at 32, the grooves at 33 and the slots at 33a. Transversely disposed screws 34 extend through both grooves and slots and are embedded in the surrounding wall of the leg. Wing nuts 35 are provided to retain the extensible portion 36 of the leg in abutting frictional engagement With the leg itself. When it is desired to elevate the desk it is necessary only to unloosen the wing nuts whereupon the extensible leg portion 36 may be moved longitudinally relative to the leg portion. When the proper height adjustment is made the wing nuts may be tightened thereby holding the extensible portion of the leg and the leg itself in relatively Xed position.

A handle 37 is provided to make possible a carrying of the desk when in its folded non-use position from one point to another.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated in the foregoing description and drawings, it is to be understood that the same is but illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The invention claimed is:

In a portable childs desk including a base, the combination of an upstanding top secured adjacent one edge to said base, a pair of spaced apart parallel metal strips inlaid in the upper surface of said top from the front to the rear edge thereof and inwardly from the side edges thereof, said strips having a portion thereof projecting above the plane of said top, and a book supporting cross member of greater width than depth operably associated with said top, said member having a length not exceeding the distance from one side edge of said top to the other side edge thereof and having a pair of magnets spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the distance between the medial portions of said strips for selectively positioning of said member upon said strips, whereby said cross member may be adjusted on said top angularly of the top and bottom edges thereof without moving said magnets out of the zone of inuence of said strips.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 723,518 Ellison Mar. 24, 1903 1,652,774 Fraser Dec. 13, 1927 1,839,291 Barbour Jan. 5, 1932 1,891,734 Slee Dec. 20, 1932 2,217,514 Henry Oct. 8, 1940 2,468,856 Alexander May 3, 1949 2,474,036 Curley June 21, 1949 2,497,332 Teetor Feb. 14, 1950 

